This invention relates to a method and composition for inhibiting the growth of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum in meat products, particularly comminuted meat products, and most particularly pork products of such type.
For many years it has been standard practice to add sodium nitrite to preserve meat products by inhibiting the growth of Clostridium botulinum and the production of botulinum toxin in the meat products during storage.
The presence of sodium nitrite or other alkali metal nitrate as a food additive, particularly in smoked meats which are cooked at high temperatures, has been of increasing concern with the determination that sodium nitrite can combine with secondary and tertiary amines in cooked meats to form nitrosamines. A number of nitrosamines have been shown to be carcinogens in animals.
It is therefore desirable to reduce the amount of nitrite present in stored meat products. However, in so doing, it is also necessary to prevent the production of deadly botulinum toxin which may occur on storage. On June 15, 1978, The U.S. Department of Agriculture required that all bacon produced using nitrite must employ 120 parts per million (ppm) of sodium nitrite to prevent formation of botulinum toxin, and 550 ppm sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate to inhibit formation of nitrosamines.
The prior art describes several substances which have been found to inhibit Clostridium botulinum growth and/or the production of botulinum toxin when substituted for a portion of the nitrite. For instance, French Patent Application No. 77.09108 describes reduction of the amount of sodium nitrite necessary by substituting for a part of it large amounts of sorbic acid or salts thereof. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,282,260 and 4,348,419 describe the substitution for sodium nitrite of hypophosphorous acid or its sodium, potassium, calcium or manganese salts. According to these U.S. patents, by the use of this acid or its salts, the amount of sodium nitrite present in the meat product may be reduced from a level of 120 ppm to approximately 40 ppm.